


Day Six: Holidays

by Zorua_Illusion



Series: ZI's Genyatta Week 2k16 [6]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Genyatta Week 2k16, Holidays, Other, let the robos be happy, most characters are mentioned in passing, this was originally two stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 17:38:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8809942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorua_Illusion/pseuds/Zorua_Illusion
Summary: The holidays are a little bit hodge podged at the Overwatch base, but it doesn't make them any less special.





	

They don’t really celebrate Christmas at the Watchpoint; there are too many traditions and holidays celebrated amongst the diverse cast to celebrate just one. They end up picking a day sometime in December where most members are present and together and just hang out in the largest common room available. There are a hodge podge of decorations strewn artfully about, and on some years, there’s a tree that’s also covered in a mismatch of traditions and cultures.

It was still a melting pot of customs, though. There were Christmas Trees and menorahs, little figurines of three kings scattered on table tops and mantles, lighted candles illuminating the hallways in their orange-yellow light as they burned through the night. Zenyatta loves the thing. “All these cultures coming together… it fills me with hope,” he quietly confesses to Genji once. It’s too early to be night, too late to be day. They’re sitting side by side, closer than Genji will allow most people and closer than most people are willing to sit by Zenyatta. The warm, candle-yellow glow given off by the lights makes the moment have a certain magic of its own. Genji has shut off his running lights so that way the bright green wouldn’t conflict. He doesn’t reply to Zenyatta’s statement, but he does place a hand on the omnic’s knee.

It gives him hope, too.

As time goes on, it shows that some of the agents are a little homesick. Foods traditional to their place of origin start appearing on counters and in the fridge. Most of these endeavors are started by Tracer; she thinks that making something old with new people can help stave off the worst of it. It seems to do her a world of good, at least, as she, Lucio, and Hana make candied nuts. Genji finds himself helping in many of these endeavors, his knowledge of cooking surprising to most people. He laughs because it’s a running trend that people underestimate his knowledge because of who (and what) he is and was. Zenyatta shakes his head in fondness as Genji teases them, leaving them a little bit bashed.

The most extreme result of this actually begins with Tracer. She’s not in the mood to bake anything, and there’s no one available to bake with anyway. So she just sort of sits in the common room and starts singing Christmas carols because, well, why not?

Soon enough Mercy finds her and joins her because they could all do with a bit of holiday cheer, and the more the merrier, right? After Angela it’s Ana, and then Lucio (who brings the instrumentals and starts projecting the lyrics for those who don’t know them), and then McCree, and Zenyatta and Genji and soon enough _everyone_ is there, singing along to whatever comes up. It’s messy and out-of-tune and not at all together, but Lena is cheered and everyone is so bright with happiness it’s almost blinding.

It dissolves from Christmas carols into top 40s, and from there people have to stop and eat, but they all sit together because… well, it doesn’t seem right to leave just yet. Eventually that time comes, however, and everyone leaves in singles or pairs until it’s just Genji and Zenyatta in the common room suffused by warm candle-like light.

But Genji thinks his favorite thing is when Zenyatta sends his orbs to play gentle melodies at that strange hour that isn’t quite night, but not quite day either. Genji requires more sleep than his master, his brain is still mostly biotic, but he requires less than his more flesh based cohorts.

The yellow-warm candle light illuminates Zenyatta’s form as he floats in front of the tree posed in the corner of the largest common room on base. It’s probably the most mis-matched decoration of all, having the tree strung with electric candles and three kings figures and spiderwebs and candies (and, for some reason, a plastic pickle whistle), but Zenyatta seems to adore it. His orbs chime gently, small symbols appearing as the notes ring out.

For the first time, Genji feels the holiday spirit Lucio talks so much about; a spirit of goodwill and peace. In this moment, he is not just _Shimada_ Genji, or cyborg Genji, but also just Genji. It is soothing, and Genji sits down next to Zenyatta. The omnic says nothing, but lowers himself to the floor, allowing Genji to lean on him. The orbs expand to include him in their orbit, and Genji doubts he’s ever felt as loved as he did then.

He feels the hope Zenyatta was talking about, too. If this group of individuals from all creeds and countries could learn to live and work together, maybe the rest of the world could to as well…

The two feel hope, and really, isn’t that what the holidays are about?

(The Pachimari pajamas Zenyatta is currently wearing is just icing on the cake.)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: My first thought when I saw the prompt was “but neither of them celebrate Christmas?” They strike me more as a “we celebrate to feel a part of the group” type rather than “we actually believe in this so we celebrate it” kind of deal.  
> This was originally two separate stories, neither of which I was satisfied with. I tried to mix the best parts of them together in this, so if it seems as hodge podged as Overwatch’s winter holidays, that’s why.  
> Day 6 of Genyatta week! It’s almost over and I’m crying internally. I might make art following the prompts- depends on how busy I am over break, and whether or not I can learn how to use my dad’s scanner…


End file.
